According to the data released by UNESID (Spanish Association of Steel Producers), the Spanish steel sector broke records in 2006 both in terms of production, which was up 2.7 percent on 2005, and also in terms of apparent consumption which rose by 12.8 percent.
Total crude steel production last year in Spain amounted to 18.4 million mt, up 2.7 percent on the figure for 2005. Spanish production of stainless steel in 2006 rose by 11.5 percent, production of other steel alloys fell by five percent, while non-alloy steel production rose by 2.5 percent. Spanish hot rolled production for the year in question reached 18.3 million mt, up 7.1 percent on the previous year. Production of coated flat products increased by 20 percent in 2006, rising to 2.8 million mt, higher than the previous annual historical record registered in 2004. Steel shipments of Spanish mills in 2006 reached the record figure of 19 million mt, up 4.7 percent on 2005 and worth a total of €13,000 million.
Apparent consumption of Spanish steel in 2006 (excluding semis) increased by 12.8 percent year on year to 23.6 million mt, equivalent to a national per capita steel consumption of 527 kg. The main increase in apparent consumption was seen in flat products.
Total Spanish steel imports in 2006 increased to 14.2 million mt, which constitutes an annual record and an advance of 26 percent on last year’s level. Furthermore, Spain’s 2006 steel imports had a total value of €8,291 million, up 25 percent on 2005. While China was responsible for most of the increase in imports, France, Portugal and Italy were the biggest suppliers of steel to Spain in 2006, together accounting for 42 percent of imports.
Spain’s steel exports in 2006 amounted to 6.7 million mt, up 2.8 percent on the previous year. Most Spanish exports were directed to EU countries, the US and Turkey during the year in question. However, exports to non-EU countries during the year fell by eight percent. A higher increase was seen in the financial worth of Spain’s 2006 steel exports, rising by 17 percent year on year to €6,441 million.